Home
As soon as such determinations regarding prisoners of war can be made, all non-warforged prisoners of war not considered a dangerous threat to the peace established by this treaty, who are held by signatories to this treaty, shall be released. Dangerous prisoners of war shall be subject to military tribunal under the jurisdiction of the Nation currently holding the prisoner of war.
--The Treaty of Thronehold, ratified 11 Aryth 996 YK, Art. 5, Sec. 1
Nearly two years after the Kings and Queens of Khorvaire retified the Treaty of Thronehold, a handful prisoners were finally released. Among the lucky few were Marduk and Brynn (formerly of House Lyrandar). Hardened by years of forced labor, forced worship of the Silver Flame, and other brutalities in the South Lyssek Labor Camp, they emerged bitter and cynical but intact, which is more than one could say for many others.
They were met near the entrance to the camp by an old acquaintance, a gnome named Zsasz (spelling approximated). During the war, when Brynn and Marduk worked as privateers, Zsasz and his brother worked as administrative liasons from House Sivis to House Lyrandar. Marduk and Brynn had often relied on his intelligence (in both senses) in getting them out of tight spots. Still, Zsasz was then, and is now, a dedicated if unmarked servant to the Twelve, the very organization that had disowned, dishonored, and disavowed Brynn. What could he want?
More to come...Continued on March 8th
Brynn and Marduk would have been wary to see anyone waiting for them outside the camp, much less an agent of the Twelve. On the other hand...he was about 3 and half feet tall and had a fresh horse for each of them. After a tense moment, the three of them rode into town together.
Vyssek had spent much of the war a small outpost, a warning station in case the Brelanders or Cyrans tried to make a play for Thronehold. When the labor camp was set up, a small diet of Cardinals assumed control of the town to bring ore processing to order. Because most of the hard labor was done by war prisoners, only management and overseers, beancounters, and fat enforcers moved to the town. An arcane magic research center was established and placed under the control of a native Aundairian who turned to Thrane out of religious fervor. Until about a year ago, things were good in Vyssek...
The town that Zsasz brought Marduk and Brynn too was a sooty, trash-laden wreck. Buildings lay half-finished. The stench of alcohol, long forbidden in Thrane, hung heavy on the air. People simply sat around, doing nothing but growing a beer belly and a sense of despondency.
As the trio entered a public house, a figure watched them from the top floor of an unfinished orphanage. Unbeknowst to the town's inhabitants, he was the source of all their misery. A confidence man par excellence, he had convinced the Praetor to reduce the workweek from 6 days to 4. He encouraged a group of like-minded dwarves to set up a massive speakeasy. Soon, Lyssek was as drunk and lazy and cynical as it could be. His name was Darksteel. He was a dwarf of the Mror Holds, and an unusual one: he was devoted in body and soul to worship of The Mockery. The Flayed One, as the mockery is known, is the father of deceit, betrayal, and dishonor. To keep his faith, Darksteel made the world his confidence game. His work here was nearly done, and a good thing too, because he was beginning to suspect someone was onto him.
(What plans does Darksteel have and how do they affect Brynn and Marduk? To Be continued...)
